AIS MEN'S CRICKETERS

Mark caught up with the AIS Men's Cricket Unit for his annual talk on Respite. Greg Chappell the head coach arranged for Brian McFadyen to set a monthly date for these Respite Visits and June is the annual 'presentation' date. It was wet so we met inside the AIS offices. There were plenty of laughs while a very important message was conveyed.

HUI TONG

Hui Tong is the Australian and AIS Diving Head Coach who is a very keen supporter of Respite for himself, his family and his coaching staff. In June Mark caught up with Hui Tong, who is one of the world's top coaches. Hui Tong was the Canadian Diving Coach prior to this appointment. He and his wife Xin were both Olympic Chinese diving stars. Mark is reliably informed his home city has a statute of him.

FOOTPLATE PADRE SNIPPETS

Mark as author of 16 books on railways (also Footplate Padre) was invited to make a contribution at two recent meetings with NSW Parliamentarians on Regional Railway Development. Mark contends better economic power unit use (maximising earning capacity) with diesel hauled passenger trains. On arrival it can immediately turn around and haul a freight train. XPT trains have two power units, one on each, and sit idle for hours upon hours. Photo is his 14th book published in 1994 (15 years ago).

DELMA'S CARDS

A number of Delma's hand crafted cards have now been published in the Card Magazine. These cards are put to good use in both Mark and Delma's ministry and the responses are remarkable from those who receive such delicately and lovingly personally crafted cards. Delma always puts a bible verse in the card.

TREE REMOVAL

Byron Bay Tree Services removed two very large trees within spitting distance of Timeout in the Tweed on SES advice. Delma also wanted the back yard cleared, it turned out to be a two day job as the wet weather made it so muddy the truck couldn't get close. Every branch and stick of timber was carried to the truck on the road, 40 metres.

LEAKING ROOF

Timeout in the Tweed sprung a leak in the heavy rains of June (Delma only just got back from Maclean due to flooding). The leaking roof is our problem whereas the internal damage is covered by insurance. The leak has been found and is in the process of being fixed.

CWCI REGIONAL DAY

Delma co-ordinated the annual Regional Day of the Christian Women Communicating International (CWCI) in June held at the Banora Point Uniting Church. For two months Delma distributed flyers, answered phone calls, arranged for this group and that group to engage in various tasks on the day, received the RSVP's, a huge effort. A very pleasing crowd attended including the Voice Weavers singers.

KOINONIA CAMP

A special celebration was held at Baptist Camp, Koinonia, Evans Head in June with the change over to a new board of management. Delma wanted to be part of this occasion as she was a regular at Christian youth camps at Koinonia when a teenager in Maclean. Delma is seen here in one of original huts.

40 YEARS

Delma and Loraine Macindoe (nee Bailey) have been good mates for 40 years. Ed & Loraine visited in June from the Cessnock area on their way back from Brisbane. Ed & Loraine have been guests at each of our two eldest daughter's weddings and Ed is a great handy man when he visits.

COOLANGATTA WALK WAY

Coolangatta's new walk way adjacent to the beach was recently opened and we tried it out on a winter's morning when not too many were about. This photograph was taken past the Coolangatta Surf Club looking towards Kirra. The lookout is called Eagles Nest.

I SPY WITH MY LITTLE EYE

We were given a front door camera and a friend set it up linking to a TV set. It works and includes audio. There are two issues. First, Delma doesn't want it switched on unless Mark is out (Mark's office near front door) and Mark forgets to switch it on when he goes out. Second, it's not a night time camera. We've since also had to replace the inoperative door bell.

MINISTERS DAY

Mark and Delma were part of the Northern Rivers Baptist Ministers Fraternal day meeting held at Alstonville Baptist Church in early June. These are days of ministry to each other and of fellowship. This one focused on resiliance.

TWO DIFFERENT FRATERNALS

For many years Chris and Jenny Clarke (photo) ministered at Pambula Baptist Church on the far south coast of NSW, now they are ministerting at the Alstonville Baptist Church (near Ballina). Mark and Delma were based in Moruya on the NSW south coast at Timeout in Moruya, and now at Timeout in the Tweed in those same years. Both couples were part of the NSW South Coast Ministers Fraternal, now the Northern Rivers Ministers Fraternal.

WINTERSUN 2009

WinterSun is held in Coolangatta each June as a festival of the winter sunshine in Queensland and of celebrated older vehicles. This year Mark and Delma spied this vehicle with a 1950's milk-bar tray. This is something that those of the baby boomer generation might recall.

ZEPHER 6 - MARK'S FIRST CAR

WinterSun at Coolangatta is an annual June festival event celebrating both the Queensland sun shine in winter and vintage cars and not so vintage vehicles. Mark spied his very first car, a 1952 Zepher 6, abd it was 1968 when he bought it, a beige colour.

BLUE AND WHITE

The June 'On Track' E-Railway magazine's Footplate Padre article written by Mark was on his research as to who came up with the remarkable 'blue and white' livery (ideal for the Sunshine State) for Queensland Railways in 1952 for their diesels and name trains - Sunlander, Midlander, Westlander, Inlander. It was a University of Queensland professor using the Ostwald Theory ... read all about it in Mark's article. 1262 is on static display at the Redbank QR Museum (Ipswich).

DELMA AND HER MUM

Delma visited her mum in Maclean (two hours drive south of Tweed Heads) with her sister Ruth who came up from Canberra (3rd week of May) only to find the floods descending upon them. Delma returned on the Friday with highway traffic being diverted through Lennox Heads and Bryon Bay to get through, and from then on, no traffic (or coaches) ran until the following Friday when the roads were reopened.

HOME GROUP LADIES

One evening a month the ladies from the Baptist Church 'Hagen home group' (sometimes one or two others depending on the night) for an evening at the Pancake Parlour in Coolangatta, just over the border from Tweed Heads. When the men attend the monthly Anglican men's fellowship tea, the ladies escape to the Pancake Parlour. It is always a very enjoyable fellowship chit chat.

ART MINISTRY - MANTRA ON THE SEA

The month of May saw the Art Ministry host a display of Mark's art under his stage name 'Tronson du Coudray' - the missionary painter - at the Mantra on the Sea Resort at SALT, Kingscliff, with much interest. The Art Ministry promotes to young people how the Lord of the universe has inspired the creative spirit within us, illustrating a different path to fulfilment and personal satisafction. Mark is here with his work, 'Petals'.

LIVING WATER - CAIRNS

Cairns - Baptist World Alliance Living Water Australasian - South Pacific conference in May: peoples from India, Malaysia, Papua Indionesia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Maori New Zealanders, The Solomon's, Fiji, Central and Urban Indigineous Australians and Australian Baptists. Mark & Delma co-ordinated the 'Linking of sports to the Christian community' seminar group. Mark videod 23 delegates with their testimonies for the Australian Missionary News.

MURRAY ROBERTSON

Murray Robertson was one of the early plenary speakers at the Cairns conference and he set the tone for the conference. In the one Baptist Church in Christchurch New Zealand for 40 years, Murray challenged the delegates to consider Jesus' teaching on 'The Kingdom of God' rather than the 'church and the inevitable control mechanicisms' associated with church. The conference came alive to this rather astonishing Kingdom motif.

HOSANNA WORSHIP

The Auckland Hosanna World Harvest Church 'worship team' led us in this Cairns conference. Mark videod much of their singing for the Australian Missionary News. Robbie and Jolene Mariner along with two younger singers (one being Charity Sola the senior pastor's daughter), John Ioane on base guitar the assistant pastor, and on key board was Blessed Sola the senior pastor's son. There are 49 on their worship team roster.

ROBBIE MARINER

Robbie Mariner led the Auckland NZ Hosanna World Harvest Church worship at the Cairns conference and gave his video testimony to the Australian Missionary News. Robbie is a professional singer having sung the New Zealand national anthem at All Black matches, NRL matches, back singer for Jimmy Barnes concert, Andrew Lloyd Webber productions of CATS, Les Miserables ... and on the professional circuit.

JOSHUA AVIA

Joshua Avia attended Mark and Delma's 'Linking Sports to the Christian community' seminar at the Cairns conference. Joshua originally from Samoa established the Hosanna Network of churches internationally, first in New Zealad where he and Helen served for 15 years, then several more churches in NZ, then to Los Angeles, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and now to India. The Brisbane Hosanna church (where they now serve) worships in a sports centre where Joshua said 95% of their congregation came through the sports ministry.

NARINDA WEAVER

Narinda Weaver from SafeWorlds IPTV visited Mark and Delma to demonstrate how the IPTV system works in establishing a channel and sub-channel for the Australian Missionary News IPTV and also on the procedures for uploading videos. Narinda loved the painting 'Paths through the Clouds'. Narinda is giving more tutorials on both the 9th and 16th June.

DELMA ON THE DOOR

Delma enjoyed the Cairns conference and found time to be of service to the organisers. On this occasion Delma was handing out plenary notes to delegates. Les Fussell, one of the organisers, happened to be collecting his notes when the photograph was taken.

NEVILLE PAULSON

Neville was one of a number who attended the Cairns conference from Yuendumu 300ks north of Alice Springs in central Australia. Neveille was a participant in Mark and Delma's 'Linking Sports to the Christian community' seminar which they co-ordinated. Neville responded that 'their young people enjoy their sport' and this 'was very good information.'

BYUNG PAL RYU

Byung Pal Ryu is the pastor of an ethnic Indian congregation in Fiji who arrived from Korea 20 years ago. He speaks numerous languages and gave his video testimony to Mark (Cairns conference) for the Australian Missionary News which has since been transcribed for a press article.

'Service'

'Service' is an art work Mark painted for Ed & Loraine Macindoe who has been a friend of Delma's for 40 years from the Lower Clarence region (Maclean - Grafton). Ed & Loraine have devoted most of their spare time to Christian service in the communities where they've lived. They visited us at Timeout in the Tweed.

CRAFT CLASS

Delma enjoys Tuesday morning craft at the Tugun Baptist Church craft morning and regularly leads tutorial classes on card making and other craft projects. This photo shows one of the four craft tables set up for the morning's projects.

TABLE TENNIS

Mark and Delma play 'socially serious' table tennis on Wednesday afternoons at the Coolangatta Uniting Church hall. They saw a community notice in the free home delivered paper. Delma walks every morning and tennis on Fridays. Mark walks Tuesday & Friday mornings (1 hr each) with the heart foundation walking group, MedX excercises Tuesday and Thursday afternoons for 30 minutes plus table tennis (1 hr each Wednesday afternoon). Mark's health is under constant medical watch.

MOTHER'S DAY

Each of the four children presented Delma with gifts (mostly craft items) and Hayley had flowers delivered which adorned the kitchen table - they arrived while we were at church with a note at the door to say they were placed at the side of the building.

VERNON'S 92nd BIRTHDAY CAKE

Vernon Moore is a stalwart at the Tweed Heads Anglican Men's Fellowship and the men presented him a 92nd birthday cake. Photographed with Vernon are Laurie Ganter, Allan Birch and John Gandey. Mark enjoys this monthly men's fellowship dinner and speaks at it once each year.

PETER AND JENNY SCOTLAND

Mark and Delma visited their friends of 40 years Peter and Jenny Scotland in Tewantin (Sunshine Coast) for a weekend of instruction on the functioning, operating and editing the new video camera for the Australian Missionary News 'videoing testimonies' ministry. Peter is a former television channel head engineer, who helps Mark with the web site. Jenny and Delma enjoyed the Cooroy School 100th anniversary (where Jenny went to school).

JOHN AND LAURA VELOSO

Laura is the second daughter of Peter and Jenny Scotland (Mark and Delma's friends of 40 years) and were guests at their wedding some years ago where Mark was invited to give the reception speech. They are relocating from the Sunshine Coast to the NSW central coast to take up a youth ministry.

COUSIN JAN ON THE FARM

Mark's cousin Jan has maintained their grand-father's Tewantin farm. Mark and his elder brother Kim would have summer holidays on the farm in the '50s. Jan's parents took over the farm in 1934. Jan was the winner '1960 Tewantin Sun Queen' (beauty pagent). The story of our grand father establishing the farm from 1902 can be read at http://bushorchestra.com/family_logo/life_of/TronsonBiographyWalter.html

Cousin Diane

Mark caught up with his cousin Diane at Caboolture on Mark and Delma's way to the Sunshine Coast in early May. Diane's mum Illma 92 (Mark's late dad's youngest sister) and Diane's late dad Wally was Mark's favourite Uncle.

'the conversation'

'the conversation' was Mark's work presented to Darrell and Ruth Sellers on their wedding day. The idea behind the art depicts spousal conversation on the one hand, and what is hidden underneath the painting (seen faintly) is that much spousal communication in non-verbal.

EASTER VISITORS

Ed and Loraine were our guests over Easter. Delma and Loraine have been mates since the mid sixties and have been our guests at each of our two eldest girl's weddings. Ed did a few handiman jobs at Timeout in the Tweed.

ANZAC FOOTPLATE PADRE STORY

Mark's Anzac Day Footplate Padre press story is on the troop express trains that ran between Sydney and Melbourne hauled for the most part by 38 Class steam engines. This Bill Sullivan photo (in Mark's book Grease Rag Yarns) shows a 38 Class running at high speed.

DELMA'S BIRTHDAY

Delma's birthday on Saturday 11 April was celebrated by inviting Milton and Pat out for dinner in Coolangatta. For many years we have celebrated our respective birthday's with friends.

SES HELP

Mark called the SES with all the heavy rain we've had as the roof sprung a leak. One of the SES team was a west of NSW farmer's daughter Lynda who Ian Carlson (Mark's friend and SES controller) says is one of his outstanding SES people, 'does everything'. Lynda loved Mark's painting 'Fresh Air'.

JAMES EGGINGTON

James Eggington takes Mark's bookings for AIS respite at the Casuarina Surfing High Performance Centre's Domain Resort, Basil Sellers Tweed.

$17.95 AT MILLERS

Ten days ago Delma was at Millers at Burleigh Heads (12 minutes from Tweed Heads) while Mark was at MedX and found this lovely lilac outfit at 85% off. Delma has been wearing it to church.

TOURISM MINISTRY ART

Graham and Wendy Aston run the Gold Coast Tourism Guide and provide a half page advert in each issue as a gift to our Tourism and Art Ministry. Graham was pleased to accept this painting and Mark utilised it in his Resurrection press article. Wendy rang with a lovely thankyou!

GARY O'DONNELL

Squash Australia CEO Gary O'Donnell very graciously sent Mark a congratulatory Email after Mark and Delma received their international award in February in Dallas Texas by Olympian of the Century Carl Lewis.

1977

1977 - Mark is seen here in the cabin of a 600 class self propelled rail motor, now as the Footplate Padre he is able to put to good use such photographs.

PLUMBER

Wade Morely our plumber helped us a great deal over several months and he was pleased to accept Mark's painting 'The Low Country'. Wade's wife Priscilla sent an email once it was hung in their home as to how much they love the painting.

DELMA

Delma spent a week as grand-ma in Sydney and was delighted to help out. Delma was able to find a very suitable outfit to wear to Darrel Sellers' wedding on 25 April in Sydney. Mr Basil Sellers has invited Mark and Delma to the wedding.

FABIAN BARLOW

Fabian Barlow is both the AIS Softball Head Coach and the Australian Women's Softball Head Coach. Fabian has invited Delma and Mark once again, as last year, to address the squad on Respite at their annual camp later in the year.

MEDX

Darren Scheuner invited Mark to his MedX highly specialised machines as a gift to his ministry so as to assist him with his neck issues. The technique emphasis is on engaging these with very slow movement. Data is kept so as to recordthe progress on each visit.

SAFEWORLDS IPTV

Dan Wooding in Los Angeles does a weekly FrontLine television interview for SafeWorlds IPTV for the Hope Faith and Charity channel, the Missionary News Channel. SafeWorlds IPTV has offered Mark an Australian Missionary News Channel, a work in progress. He painted this work to illustrate his thanks to Alan and Mary Metcalfe titled 'Fruition'.

AIS CRICKET VISIT

Mark was warmly welcomed by Greg Chappell and Brian McFadyen at the AIS Cricket Centre in Brisbane. Greg and Brian have arranged three respite visits, one each in May, June and July as in August the squad is away and then they disperse to their various States teams.

BRITTNEY

Brittney from Montana USA is an accredited nursing student for two semesters at Griffith University (Gold Coast) who we met (three seats across) on our way home on the Qantas flight from Los Angeles. We've kept in touch and had a meal together in Southport.

BEST CATCH OF THE DAY

Mark and Delma were part of the Banora Point Baptist Church 'river boat cruise' outing, yes, this was equal to the best catch of the day. It must have been the bait ......

AIS SQUASH

Mark caught up with Byron Davis the AIS Squash head coach and the Squash Australia's Head Coach.

NEW CHAIR

Delma tries out Mark's new office chair with a high back, his first new office chair in seventeen years.

DARREN SCHEUNER

Mark and Delma met Darren Scheuner through a series of contact people, originally as a result of the Dan Wooding SafeWorlds IPTV television interview. Darren is a chiropracter in Burleigh Heads (12 minutes drive from Tweed Heads) and has been helping with Mark's neck.

CARL LEWIS PRESENTS AWARDS

Olympian of the Century Carl Lewis presented Mark and Delma their International Award 'Gold Medals' and plaque for 27 years of Sports Ministry and their Beijing Olympic Prayer Network on Monday evening 16 February in the Dallas Fort Worth Airport Marriott ballroom. This was the 20th anniversary of these 'Christian Athlete of the Year' awards and as a result we were told it was the largest gathering to date, 700 guests, and televised.

AWARDS PARTY

Mark and Delma's Awards Party involved Dr Sam and Sharon Mings' grand children and the son of MC Lewis Braxton Johnson (who shared the carrying the Awards), Carl Lewis (left) and Richard Bucknor (Jamacan Olympic Gold medallist).

MARK RESPONDS FOR HIMSELF & DELMA

Mark noted his and Delma's 32nd anniversary explaining that in 1982 they pioneered the Sports & Lesiure Ministry and travelled a parrallel course to Dr Sam Mings, receiving insights and wisdom from him and his wife Sharon. Mark gave a brief overview of Well-Being Australia and the Basil Sellers Athlete Respite facilities and the Beijing Olympic Ministry Prayer Network he initiated through his five elderly praying ladies, that all the Glory belongs to the Lord! Please note Alfred Lee on key board, brilliant!

CARL LEWIS AND MARK

Special guests were invited to Room 1915 after the Awards function and this was where Mark and Carl Lewis sat together and chatted for 40 minutes. Carl Lewis, named the Olympian of the Century and a Board Member of Dr Sam Mings' Lay Witnesses for Christ, is pleased to have any number of photographs taken with those requesting photos with him. Astonishingly gracious!

GOLD MEDALS FOR JESUS

Mark and Delma with their Gold Medals and plaque for their 27 years of Sports and Olympic Ministry and leading the International Prayer Network for the Right Track 2008 Beijing Olympic Ministry which witnessed every door open to the ministry including one evening alone when Dr Sam Mings preached over 1,000 Chinese gave their lives to Jesus.

LEWIS BRAXTON JOHNSON - MC

The MC for the Awards was US Sports and Olympic commentator Lewis Braxton Johnson. It was Lewis Johnson who kept the evening flowing and without silly fanfare. He read carefully the names of those receiving awards, his natural language flow when reading the citations was professional and he ensured that each award was given due credit. If anything, Lewis Braxton Johnson gave the evening the focus it deserved.

FEMALE ATHLETE SEMI-FINALISTS

The focus of the Awards is the naming of the High School 'male' and 'female' Christian Athlete of the Year. 48 of each are introduced where they briefly speak of their sport, then a selection of 10 finalists (male and female) is announced where each athlete stands on the podium as a pre-recording is played on 'Why they should win the award' and 'What following Jesus means to them'. Finally, the High School Athlete of the Year (male and female) is announced.

MADELINE MANNING MIMS

Mark and Delma have known Madeline Manning Mims since 1988 when they first met in Seoul Korea (Olympics). Madeline is a US Track Olympic Gold Medalist (Mexico City 1968), known for her professional operatic Gospel singing and her Olympic Chaplaincy. Madeline has a Ph.D., in Divinity and is working with USA Athletics in Chaplaincy. Madeline sang magnificently at the Awards function.

SAM & SHARON MINGS WITH MARK & DELMA

Dr Sam and Sharon Mings (Awards Host - Lay Witnesses for Christ) invited Mark and Delma on their first night in Dallas at their local church's Valentine's Day dinner. The hall was decked out and the evening's entertainment had numerous hilarious vocal artist items and game show spoofs which were great fun. Just like Australian church life with our fellowship evenings.

ART FOR SAM MINGS

Mark bought over several art works as gifts, to the Vancouver 2012 Winter Olympic Committee 'Villages' Department, to Nelson Cook in Los Angeles, his Coaches of Influence ministry, and a twin set to Dr Sam Mings, Lay Witnesses for Christ founder and president, their hosts for the awards. This twin set represented the nature of Sam's remarkable soul-winning ministry.

DELMA AND SHARON MINGS

Sharon Mings could not wait to put on the Australian flag apron Delma presented. "I'll be wearing that apron a whole lot," Sharon exclaimed, "I adore it!" Sam and Sharon have been married for 46 years and have 11 grand children and two great grand children.

TEXAN RIBS IT IS

Mark and Delma were hosted for their final night by Dr Sam and Sharon Mings (left) and Ret Col Wayne and Avon Langston (Lay Witnesses for Christ Board Members) at the Forth Worth Tourist strip Stockyards at Resky's BBQ for a meal of Texan ribs.

FORT WORTH TOURIST STOCKYARD RESTROOMS

Now you've seen it all - the restroom doors at the Fort Worth Tourist strip Stockyard - this photo was taken inside Resky's BBQ Ribs.

VANCOUVER 2012 WINTER OLYMPIC MEETING

Tim Morrison the General Manager 'Villages' of the Vancouver 2012 Winter Olympic Committee and his managers Jordan Kallman and Karen Pladen-Jeffery met with Mark and Delma in the Vancouver Winter Olympic office presenting their Religious Services program for both the Vancouver city village and the Whistler Ski Resort village (90 minute drive away). Mark sends to each host city a Protocol of Ideas for Religious Services which he initiated in Lausanne Switzerland with IOC staff in February 2000.

VANCOUVER 2012 WINTER OLYMPIC VILLAGE MANAGERS

Mark and Delma enjoyed meeting the Vancouver City 2012 Winter Olympic Village manager Jordan Kallman and the Whistler Ski Resort Winter Olympic Village manager Karen Pladen-Jeffrey at their meeting with the Vancouver 2012 Winter Olympic Committee's Villages Department on 'Religious Services'. Mark took over two small works of art.

DAVID AND SUSAN WELLS

Reverend David Wells is one of the regular Olympic Chaplains at both winter and summer Olympics and has been a guest in our home some years ago. For the Vancouver 2012 Winter Olympics he is Vancouver's religious community's Chairman of the Multi-Faith Committee for the 'Olympic Villages' Religious Services. They are incorporating experienced Olympic chaplains into their local ministry team.

VANCOUVER'S SMALLER HOMES

Vancouver is largely a city resembling Sydney's north shore with large open spaced homes, lawns and gardens along with automatic door garages. In some areas of Vancouver however it is less opulent such as this street where the homes sit on smaller blocks. We were told that for the large part these represented a limited inner city area.

TROLLY BUSES OF VANCOUVER

The Trolly Bus is the public transport system of Vancouver. Mark can still remember Sydney's trolly buses in the early '60s. Vancouver city itself has 600,000 while the entire outer region and transit communities total 2 million population. Although it was early February it was not that cold. Delma wore at overcoat after dark.

VANCOUVER'S WATER WAYS

Taken from the top of the Landmark Hotel in their restaurant at breakfast, the photograph only shows a tiny section of Vancouver's vast water ways than weave through the terrain in almost 360 degrees.

DELMA AT BREAKFAST - VANCOUVER

While in Vancouver we were booked in at the Landmark Hotel which is one of the tallest buildings in the city with a revolving restaurant on top. We ate breakfast there each morning and enjoyed the views of the water ways and mountains of Vancouver.

STANLEY PARK - VANCOUVER

Mark and Delma enjoyed the Red Bus Tour of Vancouver and especially Stanley Park where they had twenty minutes to explore although it is 1,000 acres with numerous walking paths. It would take 1-2 days to see it all. They even play cricket there!

NELSON AND SANDY COOK

Nelson Cook and Mark have been friends since 1984 and Nelson has hosted Mark on his visits to Los Angeles. Nelson was with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and then initiated 'Coaches of Influence' 9 years ago, a remarkable ministry to Christian Coaches (the forgotten champions). Sandy works as a receptionist at Hope International University, one of the many Christian Colleges in Los Angeles. Sandy took Delma to bible class and enjoyed being together.

COACHES MEETINGS

Nelson Cook had Tuesday - Friday of the second week of February organised so Mark could meet College Sports Coaches, High School Sports Coaches and Professional Club Coaches. Mark spoke at five 'Coaches of Influence' meetings (breakfast or lunch) along with numerous individual meetings (Nelson took the photos). In this one are the Azusa Pacific University Football Coachers - Mark teased them about their protective armour when in Australia it's all body language.

TERRY FRANSON

Terry Franson is Dean of Students at the Azusa Pacific University in Los Angeles, a campus of over 4,000 students. Terry Franson is also a former USA and Nigerian Track and Field Olympic Coach and has had enormous input into Nelson Cook's life and ministry after he first wife Stephanie died of a brain tumour cancer in 1995 leaving him with three little girls to raise alone. Nelson particularly wanted Mark to meet Terry.

NBL STAR TURNS TO COACHING

Paul Mokeski a former NBL star has turned to coaching in Los Angeles. Paul and his wife Linda was at another meeting where Mark and Delma met Coaches courtesy of Nelson Cook and his 'Coaches of Influence' ministry. The photograph illustrates that the Lord loves the tall, the inbetween's and the short.

MEN'S BREAKFAST LOS ANGELES

Mark was speaker at Nelson Cook's Friends Church - weekly Friday morning 6.00am breakfast. Tables were spread across the hall and most were full of men on their way to work along with some retirees. Nelson Cook enthused that Mark's 'challenge to men' was as powerful as he'd witnessed (and all without notes) and the question and answer session was brilliant.

DELMA'S STAMPING TREAT

Delma was in 'card stamping' heaven when she visited 'Stampendous' in Los Angles and given numerous sample 'stamps' which will enhance her card making ministry.

DAN WOODING TELEVISION INTERVIEW

Dan Wooding interviewed Mark in Los Angeles for both his Dan Wooding Television Show and his Christian radio program. Dan Wooding heads up Assist News Service which provides stories of Christian news from throughout the world to editors world wide. Dan Wooding now 67, a former Fleet Street news and feature journalist has travelled widely. He is softly spoken and brilliantly poignant.

AUSTRALIA DAY

Mark and Delma celebrated Australia Day with a 'fish and chip' lunch with their home group, an annual outing. Mark and Delma head off to Canada and the USA on 6 February for 14 days. Kerry and Christine Bartlett from Sydney are house sitting 'Timeout in the Tweed'. Mark and Delma meet the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Committee 9 February on Religious Services, Tues-Friday speaking to sports coaches in LA and the Dan Wooding Christian Television show on the 12th. Then head to Dallas for the international award for their 27 years in sports ministry.

SAM AND SHARYN MINGS

Sam and Sharyn Mings the founder CEO of Lay Witnesses for Christ, a 30 year sports ministry which facilitates outreach among US and Olympic athletes. They have run programs in every Summer Olympics since LA 1984 and most Winter Olympis. Last year's Beijing Olympic outreach was phenominal and they sought Mark and Delma to run their International Prayer Network. Mark sought his five elderly praying ladies to lead this astonishing global undertaking. Sam and Sharyn run the US Sports Ministry annual 'logies' and this year for the first time have included an International Awardwhich is going to Mark and Delma for their 27 years of sports ministry and the Beijing international prayer network. This function is in Dallas on Monday evening 16 February 2009.

STEVE WAUGH - HALL OF FAME

Steve Waugh was welcomed into Cricket's Hall of Fame at the Allan Border Medal on Tuesday evening 3 February in Melbourne. Steve and Mark catch up from time to time. Mark said they had a good chat at Basil Sellers 2005 Birthday Part in Adelaide. Basil Sellers sponsors Steve Waugh's charity that helps those people who fall through the system's benevolence gaps. This photo shows Mark and Steve on tour in New Zealand when Steve was captain of the Australian Cricket Team.

AIS MEN'S BASKETBALLERS

AIS men's basketballers visited Basil Sellers Moruya the last three days of January on respite. I asked Paul Goris before hand would be courtesouly take a photograph of Matt Boyes (hat on) with the lads, who said it would be a pleasure. Well-Being Australia's Matt Boyes addressed the lads on 'Integrity - let your Yes by Yes, and your No be No.' The coach said it filled in with his theme over the three days. Matt bought his digital camera and Paul Goris took this great photo.

ROTARY

Mark spoke to South Tweed Rotary on Monday 2 February 2009 held at the South Tweed Sports Club. The club provided a DVD player and a TV in order for Mark to show three short DVD's. He played the Footplate Padre and the 2009 ministry DVD's, each of 3 minutes, after his talk, the Auschwitz 2005 DVD. Mark was well received. Many Rotary people also belong to the Tweed Chamber of Commerce.

ART FOR BASIL SELLERS

Mark painted for Basil Sellers his work titled 'Mahogany of Character'. Mahogany timber is mostly for furniture and is of a high quality. It took Mark ages to get the thick texture including the knots of the timber along with the deep red within the texture. Basil Sellers support of the Respite facilities has been a hallmark.

IAN AND TRACEY

Mark and Delma took out to dinner Ian and Tracey Carlson celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. Ian is Mark's helper who drives him to the various AIS sport units in SE Queensland and has come on Country Town Tour missions. Ian was diagnosed with Lymphoma three years ago and has undergone extensive treatment. He is medically retired as a school vice principal.

TOURISM MINISTRY

Part of our Tourism Ministry is that we lead pilgrimage tours to the Holy Land, which in some years have also included the seven early churches in what is now Turkey (and includes a visit to Anzac Cove, Gallipoli). In this 2000 Holy Land tour Mark is here baptising Dr Lucille Bartholomeusz in the Jordan River where it was believed Jesus was baptised. Lucille and her husband John had been SIM missionaries in Africa.

DELMA WITH PAT ELSTON

Pat Elston is a widow from Brisbane. (Allan) and Pat were with us on our 2000 Holy Land tour as part of our Tourism Ministry. Delma visits elderly and shut-ins as part of her ministry in addition to the Domain Nursing Home weekly ministry visit. 2009 will be a very busy year in ministry for Delma.

LIFE AFTER CRICKET

Mark is in the midst of preparing the 30 March Retired Australian Cricketers Bi-Annual Newsletter which will be its 18th edition. Astonishing. The editorial team is Allan Border, Phil Emery, Jason Bakker, David Boon, Greg Chappell and Kim Hughes. Photo is Mark with Justin Langer in Hamilton, March 2000 on the Australian cricket team's tour of New Zealand.

DEAN AND FIONA

Dean and Fiona Davis visited us in the Tweed. Dean has been the Brisbane Lyons AFL chaplain for 20 years. Delma and I were guests at their wedding in Brisbane late last year. Dean was one of the first lay chaplains in the Sports and Leisure Ministry. Dean and Fiona attended the Art Ministry's exhibition of Mark's works at Mantra on the Sea.

2009 RESPITE MINISTRY

Mark resumed the 2009 Australian Institute of Sport 'respite' ministry in late January catching up first off with Brian McFadgen the AIS men's cricket program manager. The other AIS units in south east Queensland will be visited on 'respite' in February, March and April.

MARK AND DELMA

Mark and Delma have a busy 2009 as for the first time will be empty nesters. Salley leaves for Sydney on Sunday 1 February for her 1st year accountancy at Bedford Business College and Wesley has already returned to the UK. This year has numerous missions, and speaking engagements such as the South Tweed Rotary Club on Monday 2 February. Delma is pondering a computer course at TAFE in the second semister so as to upgrade her skills.

GREAT UNCLE ALLAN

Allan Tronson is Mark's great uncle. Allan and Hiroko's 32 year old son Tomoya is a keen cricketer in the Gold Coast competition and has travelled to France to find the Tronson du Coudray roots. Allan's father was Thomas Bleakely Tronson who was the eldest son of the second marriage of his father T B Tronson who came to Australia for the 1860's gold rush. T B Tronson's eldest son of his first marriage was Walter. Walter's second son was Seymour who was Mark's father. Mark and Delma's visits to Allan and Hiroko (Gold Coast) are very enjoyable.

NELSON COOK

Nelson Cook in Los Angeles and Mark spoke over the phone this past week as Mark is speaking at three of his morning 'College Sports Coaches' meetings and at a men's breakfast in Los Angeles the second week of February before heading to Dallas on Saturday 14 for Mark and Delma's international award for 27 years of sports ministry. Nelson and Mark have known each other since 1986 on Mark's second study tour of USA Sports Ministry.

RAINBOW BEACH

Delma tries to get to the beach two or three times a week for fifteen minutes in the surf, in addition to her 35 minute morning walk six days a week. Along with her Friday morning tennis Delma keeps up a very energetic pace in line with her various demanding ministries. Delma's Domain Nursing Home ministry ran through January.

INTERNATIONAL ROLE

Steve and Debbie Suba have warmly responded to a voluntary international linking role. Steve and Debbie are former missionaries, Steve is head engineer for VirginBlue in Tasmania, and has been the Well-Being Australia Tasmanian volunteer co-ordinator since its inception. Steve and Debbie have an interest in English teaching in Romania and with existing interest in Ukraine youth education this was a good fit.

STAMP DAY

Mark's annual stamp day is either Boxing Day or New Year's Day. He empties the year's stamp container, crops each stamp to size, then carefully adds them to his collection. Mark initiated his collection as a boy as his mum gave him her collection going back to the 1930's. It's become a family chore and he fills his albums, the each of his children's albums. This is an annual all day task.

MOVEMENT

Mark's art work 'Movement' was named by Ian Carlson who saw the completed work in Mark's art studio and immediately saw an impression of the art work that gave rise to his naming it. This art work is hanging at the Mantra on the Sea resort Art Ministry exhibition during January. Mark is reminded by the art work of his high school English novel text, 'The day of the Triffords'.

SUNLANDER

One of the art works hanging in the Art Ministry's Mantra on the Sea resort exhibition is one that Mark did featuring an impression of the Sunlander, the Queensland stalwart name train that runs from Brisbane in the south of the state to Cairns in the far north along the coastal route. Numbers of Mantra patrons have spoken of their experiences on the Sunlander.

TONY HELPED AT MANTRA

Tony de Kevitt once again assisted Mark in placing on the walls 12 art works for the January Art Ministry display at Mantra on the Sea, SALT, Kingscliff. Each art work had to be hung in such a way that it portrayed the art work in the best light available and needed to be square. Mantar on the Sea has also invited Mark to have another Art Ministry display in May.

CHRISTIAN TODAY AUSTRALIA

Mark and Delma caught up with Denise Lee the editor of Christian Today Australia while in Sydney over the Christmas - New Year period at an Around the Tables. One of the discussion areas was the continuation of Mark's articles for Christian Today Australia. Denise is now involved in a new CTA project, CTindex which allows interaction between Christian agencies.

FOOTPLATE PADRE VISITS REDBANK

Mark as the Footplate Padre visited the Redbank Rail Workshops and Museum (an operation of Queensland Railways). He was away for two days. One very interesting person he met was Bevan McDeil who was the major designer of the Museum's extensive model railway and the chief repairer. Mark enjoyed his visit meeting many people and looking over the display items. As a former train driver he recognised the steam and diesel controls.

JOSH McGINTY

Mark met with Josh McGinty the Cairns Baptist Church Associate Minister with a discussion on the various methodologies a local church might employ sports ministries on his North Queensland Country Town Tour (CTT). This is a fresh approach to CTT's. Mark also presented Josh McGinty a Peppers Resort Voucher given to Well-Being Australia so as to encourage Ministers in respite. The McGinty's have four little children.